Are Longer and More Negative Online Reviews More Helpful? - The Mediating Role of Consumers' Perceived Usefulness of Reviews

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates how review length and sentiment impact consumers' purchase intentions, using real online reviews as the data source. The study aims to understand how the length and tone of a review affect a potential buyer's decision-making process when considering a purchase.
 Design/methodology/approach - A 2 (comment length: long vs. short) × 2 (comment sentiment: positive vs. negative) × 2 (product type: practical vs. hedonic) experiment was conducted.
 Findings - Results indicate that longer reviews have a greater impact on consumers' perceived usefulness compared to short reviews, but do not affect purchase intentions. Review sentiment is found to have a stronger impact than review length, especially for negative sentiment. The study also suggests that consumers pay more attention to reviews of practical products, and that reviews have less influence on hedonic products.
 Research implications or Originality - The implications of these findings are relevant for both merchants managing reviews and consumers reviewing products.The results of this research could help businesses and marketers optimize their online review strategies to maximize their impact on consumer behavior.